Unit .25
Session .03 Jesus Teaches Difficult Truths
Scripture John 6:52-69
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”53 So Jesus to them, “Do you take offense at this?62 Then what if said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and were who did not believe, and who it was who would drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. 60 When go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in One of God.”1 In the beginning, God...
UNIT 25 | SESSION 3 | 23 His Story
In what ways are you sometimes tempted to trust in your good efforts for assurance of salvation?
Why do we find it so offensive to hear that we don’t have what it takes to save ourselves?
99 Essential Doctrines
God is Truthful
The Scriptures are clear that in God there is no falsehood (Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18). God represents things as they really are. Everything He says can be trusted because God guarantees the truth of everything He tells us. The call for humans to be honest and not to bear false witness is rooted in the utter truthfulness of our Creator. Telling the truth is one way we bear the image of God, whose Son is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS | 24 Main Point Jesus offers words of eternal life.
If salvation is purely a gift of grace, how should this affect our treatment of those who don’t know Jesus?
What in your life tempts you as a rival of Christ for your affections and attention?
God is Truthful
The Scriptures are clear that in God there Christ Connection is no falsehood (Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18). God represents things as they really are. Jesus’ teachings about eating His flesh and drinking His blood were Everything He says can be trusted because difficult to understand. Many turned away from Jesus because of these God guarantees the truth of everything He words, but it is in them that we find eternal life made known to us in tells us. The call for humans to be honest Jesus’ death and resurrection. and not to bear false witness is rooted in the utter truthfulness of our Creator. Telling the truth is one way we bear the image of God, whose Son is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
UNIT 25 | SESSION 3 | 25 His Story
How would you reply if someone asked you why following Jesus is worth it, even if you lose everything else in this life as a result?
In Defense
“Even Jesus’s disciples were offended by such talk. But Jesus explained that he was talking spiritually. Unaided by the Spirit, human reason cannot discern spiritual truth. The Jews wrongly believed study of Scripture (see 5:39) and doing “works of God” (see 6:27-29) were sufficient for spiritual understanding … Many of Jesus’s disciples turned from him at this point, which is a watershed in John’s Gospel. But Jesus was not surprised by the defection.”—Andreas Köstenberger, “John,” CSB Study Bible (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2017), 1679.
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS | 26 Our Mission
Head
How does this account challenge the world’s perspective that one can get to God in different ways?
What are some verses we can use to lovingly communicate to others the fact that Jesus is the only way to God?
Heart
How does this account teach us to think about salvation as a gift from God and not something given because of good works?
Why is salvation by grace through faith better news than salvation by works?
Hands
What is your greatest fear in sharing the gospel with others, and what do you think is a good biblical antidote for that fear?
How can we encourage each other to share more often the truth of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done?
UNIT 25 | SESSION 3 | 27 Day 1 Daily Devotions John 6:22-40
Jesus cautioned His hearers not to merely work for food that will not last but to pursue the Bread of eternal life (Himself). The cares of the world, however, swallow us whole each day. The pressures and priorities of our ordinary lives crowd our attention to God and His Word. We spend most of our lives focused on things that ultimately won’t matter. They may be important. They may be necessary. But if they are the heart of our pursuit of meaning, if they are the whole of our affections, we miss out on investing in things that last. Nobody The 7 Arrows of on their deathbed wishes they’d spent more time Bible Reading chasing more money, bigger stuff, and other temporary cares.
Eternity matters in each moment of every day. Do our thoughts, interests, and pursuits reflect that? What does this passage say?
What did this What does this What can you do this week, even passage mean to its passage tell us today, to invest in eternity? original audience? about God?
What does this passage Tell us about man?
What does How does this passage this passage change the way I demand of me? relate to people?
How does this passage prompt me to pray?
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS | 28 Day 2 Day 3 John John 6:41-51 6:52-59
What would change your life entirely? If you asked Everywhere He went, Jesus was centering this question to any random person on the street, everything on Himself. On the road to Emmaus, you might find a variety of answers that all amount after His resurrection, for instance, He told the two to roughly the same thing: an improved set of disciples that the whole Old Testament is about circumstances. However, Jesus was always pointing Him (Luke 24:44-47). He told others that He’s us to a deeper and more eternal perspective. the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). In this passage, He said that unless someone lives in Him, Jesus has not come primarily to make our lives better, they would die (6:53,58). but to give us real life! He has come that we might in fact live forever, conquering death and enjoying Jesus compares how we need Him with how we His presence in the unending paradise of the new need food. If you and I don’t eat, we will die. We will heaven and new earth. If you’re a Christian, this gift get malnourished and emaciated, and eventually is already yours. The most important things about our bodies will shut down. Jesus made the parallel you have now been settled. Your sins are forever point about belief in Him. He’s not an option. He’s forgiven, your life belongs to Jesus, and you will be not an add-on. Just like not eating food means we raised in a resurrection body to enjoy eternal life. will die, not trusting in Him means we will die the second death (Rev. 21:8).
How does knowing you have eternal life impact your worries or What are some practical ways that complaints today? you can “feed on Jesus” today?
UNIT 25 | SESSION 3 | 29 Day 4 Day 5 John John 6:60-65 6:66-71
When Jesus was being literal with His disciples, Jesus knew full well Peter would later deny Him. they took Him metaphorically. When He was He even told Peter that this was going to happen, being metaphorical, they took Him literally. They which Peter denied (Matt. 26:30-35). Jesus said always seemed to be a few steps behind. elsewhere that anyone who denied Him before men He would also deny before the Father. So denying Like the disciples, our ignorance is no hindrance to Him is no little sin. God. Our spiritual lacking seems to be a prerequisite for His awakening grace. In this passage, Jesus In this passage, however, Jesus appears to taught that it was the Spirit who enlightens sinners have commended Peter’s words and hints at to know and believe in the gospel. Our blindness is condemnation for Judas. Later He would forgive no difficulty for God. Peter and restore him, whereas Judas carried out his betrayal and ended up taking his own life. We must really be loved by God! If He gave us this gift apart from our efforts and despite our So what makes the difference between Peter and blindness, He must really want us and care for us. Judas? The difference appears to be repentance. Peter repented of his sin. Judas seemed merely The greatest proof of God’s love is to regret it. Peter faced Jesus with godly sorrow the giving of His own Son to die for us and humility. Judas turned his back, his sorrow on the cross, but what are some other being worldly. Repentance isn’t feeling sorry you evidences that God loves you? got caught or simply wanting to be free of guilt. Repentance is a despair of your own sin and a desire to be in fellowship with Jesus.
Since the life of following Jesus means repenting daily, what areas of your life—behaviors, thoughts, and words—do you need to turn over to Jesus right now?
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS | 30